imaginative

adjective

i-'ma-jə-nə-tiv How to pronounce imaginative (audio)
Definition of imaginativenext
1
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things an imaginative child who is always writing short stories about her pet cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in innovative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing found an imaginative gadget that can grind the beans and heat the water to brew coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imaginative Her solo stage program was made from a highly imaginative, eclectic selection of traditional pan-Asian references, poses, and gestures. — Thomas Patier, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2026 From this format emerges the tacit thesis that the Bicentennial cultural activities excelled at provoking critical, imaginative reflections on America’s past and future from artmakers and from ordinary citizens alike. — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Expanding on French drama series, Debeurme praised his colleagues and fellow artists presenting audacious, imaginative projects in La Rochelle. — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 The family described the teen as a fearless, curious and deeply imaginative young man with an ambitious spirit who inspired those around him. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imaginative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginative
  1. inventive
  2. innovative
  3. creative
  4. clever
  5. talented
Adjective
  • Each feels expansively lush without ever losing that genuinely old school rock and roll momentum, in large part due to the hypnotic drumming of Adam Shumski and inventive lead guitars of Dan Ryan.
    — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Occasionally, VisionQuest does this in a clever way, as with an inventive late sequence that borrows from WandaVision‘s sitcom language.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of inventive
Adjective
  • Her designs are crafted in France using leather farmed in France and tanned in Italy, and are constructed entirely without stitching, using an innovative system of folding, assembly and rivets.
    — Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Sweden files more patents per person than almost every other European country, hosts four of the world’s top 130 universities, and is ranked by the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization as the second most innovative economy on earth.
    — Jan Larsson, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • Nearby, the Arts District and Fashion District with ever evolving galleries and independent boutiques showcasing the city's creative energy.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Set amid the creative ferment of Paris at a turning point in music and culture, the film traces the bond between two young artists in the years before the world knew their names.
    — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of creative
Adjective
  • Fixing Loose Tiles With Hot Glue When tile loosens, one apparently clever home DIY is to reapply it with a hot glue gun.
    — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Butter Squishy Butter squishy toys had a banner year, so dressing like one is a fun way to have a clever, timely costume.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • Bryan is an incredibly talented country singer known for writing songs that tell deep and often incredibly emotional stories.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Studios together meant making difficult decisions where the two companies overlapped, and unfortunately that affected talented people.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of talented

Browse Nearby Words

imagination
imaginative
imaginativeness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imaginative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginative. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zenith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All